National Health & Safety Administrator(NHSA^TM)

The NHSA™ is an entry-level safety designation for people who support health and safety in the construction industry. It’s a credential that demonstrates your knowledge of health and safety management — not a job title.

If you have three years of construction field experience, the NCSO® is the designation to pursue.

Learn about the NCSO®

What you’ll be able to do

Earning your NHSA™ means you're equipped to:

Help implement and maintain a health and safety program on the worksite
Spot and assess health and safety issues specific to construction environments
Communicate clearly with management, workers, and government on safety matters

Recognized across Canada

The NHSA™ meets CFCSA national standards and is recognized throughout Canada. If you're coming to work in Alberta holding an NHSA™ from another province or territory, you would only be required to demonstrate knowledge of Alberta legislation.

This is a straightforward process and you can apply for equivalency by agreeing to the NHSA™ Code of Ethics and uploading a copy of your out of province certificate. You can access the Out of Province NHSA™ Equivalency designation program from your MyLearning account here.

Getting started

There are no field experience requirements for the NHSA™. You can apply and work through the program at your own pace.

Apply before you start taking courses. The application confirms your eligibility upfront — if something needs to be resolved, it's better to know before you're partway through the program.

Start your NHSA™ application

How the program works

The NHSA™ is self-paced. You register for courses individually through your MyLearning account and work through the program on your own timeline.

Courses completed previously may count toward your designation, as long as they were finished within the past 10 years and haven't expired.

The four steps to earning your NHSA™:

1. Apply for the program

Search for "NHSA Application" in the MyLearning catalogue to get started.

2. Complete your training

Complete 11 compulsory courses, 2 elective courses, and your LSE™ Proficiency. All courses must have been completed within the past 10 years.

3. Pass the designation exam

The exam is an online, proctored, closed-book test with 120 multiple-choice questions. It’s the same exam used across all provinces — written and standardized by the CFCSA.

Learn what to expect and how to prepare

4. Maintain your designation

Your NHSA™ is valid for three years. See below for what renewal involves.

Keeping your designation active

Your NHSA™ expires every three years. To renew, complete the following before your expiry date:

Retake WHMIS TTT
Complete the LSE™ Proficiency Renewal activity (search “LSE Proficiency Renewal” in MyLearning)
Hold a current, unexpired Standard First Aid certification
Submit your renewal application once all requirements are completed

If your designation has expired, you have a 90-day grace period to finish your renewal requirements. After that, you’ll need to retake the full designation exam before your NHSA™ can be reinstated. For help with renewal, contact our Designation Support team at 1-800-661-2272 or ncso@youracsa.ca.

Ready to get started?

Employers: Looking to confirm someone’s designation status?

Search the Designation Validation List

National Health & Safety Administrator(NHSATM)